TargetTalk

http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/fie ... ing-events

hard to believe, but in England I guess anything possible.

I guess they figure if your not allowed to make choices, you live with what you have.

Watching the latest riots in England which included young people running, throughing, jumping, fighting, kicking, stabbing using bats and carrying heavy objects. Maybe they shouldn't let them see any track and field, boxing, fencing, football (soccer), baseball or weight lifting either, it might give them ideas. I guess it's a good thing they didn't do it synchronized to music or we'd have to rule out the violent sport of synchronized swimming.

In 1971 my parents made the decision to move my family from England to New Zealand. Thank god they did. I look at my cousins back there an compare my life to theirs and wonder if they realise how poorly off they are.

I could be wrong but I am betting way more people get killed with golf clubs every year than Steyr LP-10's, Morini 162's etc. but yet they incourage kids to use such deadly weapons.

Blimey, the standards of reporting are appalling aren't they. Supposedly LOCOG are not giving out free tickets for shooting. That DOES NOT mean children are banned as the headlines would imply FFS.

That said, this discrimination against shooting is totally indefensible if indeed it is actually happening.
I did hear one person say LOCOG are denying that this is the case, and it should be pointed out that from my Googling, I can only see 1 actual media report making these claims - ThisIsLondon.co.uk.

Everything else is a repost in shooting related media or forums. It may well be that one london journalist has got the wrong end of some stick and sparked off a somewhat viral but unnecessary furore that has rushed across the shooting community. I've yet to find a single major source (e.g. LOCOG, major national newspapers, BBC, etc) that are carrying this story.

The BBC have cancelled an interview with our top lady pistol shooter because LOCOG, the Games organisers, have said the story isn't true.

Either the Evening Standard got it wrong or LOCOG have reacted to public comment. It's a 50/50 bet in my opinion.

The Shooting Manager for the 2012 Olympics has stated the following:-

LOCOG's position is this;

- Shooting tickets are included in the Ticketshare programme;
- The Ticketshare programme includes a range of groups - schools, BOA/BPA and Tickets for Troops;
- There are a small number of shooting tickets in the Ticketshare programme, and we planned to issue the tickets where the demand was greatest;
- Our initial consultation with schools suggested that there wasn't a demand for shooting tickets;
- However, if schools request shooting tickets, we will provide them, subject to availability;

We are absolutely clear that children are allowed into the venue at Games time - indeed, shooting is one of our Pay Your Age sports, and we have sold tickets to children and will continue to do so dependent upon availability.

I hope this clarifies the position.

Thank goodness for that.

Sadly, we're not in London...or I'd be making a BIG fuss to get my kids' schools to ask for shooting tickets.

My daughter's school has been nothing but supportive of her shooting. It is an academic girls school. Great to see her photo up on the sports hall wall on the "our international representatives" board together with the hockey and netball players.

It's critically important for young people to see others shooting their guns in a positive light. Most of the time shooting is in the news it's because of violence. Unfortunately, the public only sees guns as "weapons" not as sporting tools. The Olympic venue is a perfect place to expose anti-gunners to the fact that all of the competitors are shooting 10,000 or more rounds each year in practice and competitions and they don't make the news because no one is hurt. Additionally, there are hundreds of other competitors shooting millions of rounds each year and they also don't make the news because they don't shoot anyone.
It will be a huge educational loss if young people are not exposed to any of the shooting sports that are enjoyed safely and with no intention of "shooting someone."
Ben

j-team wrote:In 1971 my parents made the decision to move my family from England to New Zealand. Thank god they did. I look at my cousins back there an compare my life to theirs and wonder if they realise how poorly off they are.

Yeh, but at least we dont need a firearms license for a sub 12ft-lb PCP airgun eh ;)

Thank you David. Your answer is as usual: accurate and to the point!
Guy

robf wrote:
Yeh, but at least we dont need a firearms license for a sub 12ft-lb PCP airgun eh ;)

Not yet we don't Rob, not yet.... ;)

Rob.

robf wrote:

j-team wrote:In 1971 my parents made the decision to move my family from England to New Zealand. Thank god they did. I look at my cousins back there an compare my life to theirs and wonder if they realise how poorly off they are.

Yeh, but at least we dont need a firearms license for a sub 12ft-lb PCP airgun eh ;)

Yes, that's a bit of an odd one, but at least we are still allowed semi auto rifles and all types of pistols unlike Britain, so I know where I'd rather be.

RobStubbs wrote:

robf wrote:
Yeh, but at least we dont need a firearms license for a sub 12ft-lb PCP airgun eh ;)

Not yet we don't Rob, not yet.... ;)

Rob.

For juniors it would be a darn sight easier if we did. When my daughter's FAC comes through (touch wood) she will be allowed to own a .22 and ammunition.

She's still 3 years off being allowed to own an air rifle.

skylark wrote:

RobStubbs wrote:

robf wrote:
Yeh, but at least we dont need a firearms license for a sub 12ft-lb PCP airgun eh ;)

Not yet we don't Rob, not yet.... ;)

Rob.

For juniors it would be a darn sight easier if we did. When my daughter's FAC comes through (touch wood) she will be allowed to own a .22 and ammunition.

She's still 3 years off being allowed to own an air rifle.

I know it is perverse, it's almost as if you applied for an FAC air rifle it would be easier... Still she doesn't need to own an air rifle to shoot one, it's just a pain needing to be escorted in public places by someone over 21.

Rob.

Would we have even got the Olympics if the truth had been told in the original submission?

The range will be built at a cost of £50M and then pulled down after the event.

Range equipment will be leased and not available to British Shooting after the event, although some kit may be sold to Scotland for the Commonwealth games before any of the remainder will be sold.

We will give tickets to schools but we "don't expect" them to apply, meaning we don't want them too.

There will be no legacy to UK shooters.

Any shooter who writes to MP's and Ministers asking what the Olympic legacy will be, will be ignored. (I and others I know, have sent 3 times to date with no reply)

As one who works hard to bring new shooters into the sport I'm disgusted that the above is true, would we have got the event if we had said that?

Robin

RobinC wrote:Would we have even got the Olympics if the truth had been told in the original submission?

The range will be built at a cost of £50M and then pulled down after the event.

That was certainly known. Woolwich was named in the original bid document after the IOC said that Bisley was not acceptable (too far from the village).

j-team wrote:

robf wrote:

j-team wrote:In 1971 my parents made the decision to move my family from England to New Zealand. Thank god they did. I look at my cousins back there an compare my life to theirs and wonder if they realise how poorly off they are.

Yeh, but at least we dont need a firearms license for a sub 12ft-lb PCP airgun eh ;)

Yes, that's a bit of an odd one, but at least we are still allowed semi auto rifles and all types of pistols unlike Britain, so I know where I'd rather be.

True... but we are allowed .22 semi autos, just not full bore ;)

What's odd is you don't need a licence for a springer air rifle of the same power ;)

skylark wrote:

RobStubbs wrote:

robf wrote:
Yeh, but at least we dont need a firearms license for a sub 12ft-lb PCP airgun eh ;)

Not yet we don't Rob, not yet.... ;)

Rob.

For juniors it would be a darn sight easier if we did. When my daughter's FAC comes through (touch wood) she will be allowed to own a .22 and ammunition.

She's still 3 years off being allowed to own an air rifle.

It would be also possible to get an EFP for +6ft-lb rifles as well.